Peter Kyle emphasized the nationwide interest in leveraging AI technology, as evidenced by over 200 local applications for AI Growth Zones.

The council identified five key areas of focus for the upcoming year, including the readiness of the energy system for AI, promoting sustainability, and ensuring safe AI adoption in the energy sector.

The council plans to convene quarterly to discuss progress and bring actionable proposals to enhance the UK's energy and AI sectors.

However, concerns were raised by Shadow Energy Secretary Andrew Bowie about potential retractions of investments from businesses like Microsoft due to difficulties in securing grid connections.

The UK's AI Energy Council held its inaugural meeting on April 8, 2025, in Westminster, chaired by Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology Peter Kyle and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband.

This first session of the council aims to improve clean energy production and AI infrastructure, bringing together energy firms and tech giants to discuss powering the country's AI initiatives.

Key attendees included representatives from major companies such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google, and Arm, alongside energy firms like EDF and Scottish Power.

During the meeting, attendees underscored the importance of embedding sustainability into AI initiatives and the need for infrastructure investments, particularly in grid access and planning permissions.

Recognizing that AI technology development is energy-intensive, the council acknowledged the significant power requirements for data processing and task execution.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband reiterated the UK's ambition to become a clean energy superpower, supporting consumers, businesses, and economic development under the Plan for Change.

In line with this vision, the Prime Minister had previously outlined plans to position the UK as a 'global superpower' in AI by enhancing data centers and computing resources.

Miliband highlighted the dual focus of the council: enhancing the energy grid for AI integration while also utilizing AI to optimize the energy system itself.